Yup. In Irvington again. Why? Because I live here and, it is the “Best Place to Live” (and eat) according to Westchester Magazine in 2010 (and me)! Irvington is a sleepy little town on the Hudson River. When we first looked at moving up here from NYC, I admit, I was frightened by tales of deer, coyotes and wild turkeys…oh my! By the way, they were all true! We have about 6 deer in my yard every day, I see coyotes way too often and, one day, while sitting on my front step with my sons, we saw a few wild turkeys trotting by our house.
We (and by “we”, I mean “I”, because I was really the only one with any issues) learned to live with all of these creatures of the wild and regardless, I am a very proud resident of Irvington, NY. I love this town for many reasons. The people are great, for starters. The schools are amazing and the elementary school is very allergy friendly. Also…the restaurants rock!
I’ve already talked about Mima Vinoteca, which is great. In addition, we had a very welcome newcomer last Spring, MP Taverna by Chef Michael Psilakis. It is described as a Greek Brasserie. Their dishes are more upscale than traditional Greek diner fare and the price point is pretty reasonable (average dinner plate is about $19). In my recent Skirt Steak Souvlaki Slider post, I revealed my love for Greek food so, you know I was excited. Plus, I’m a BIG Iron Chef fan and he’s been on it with his look-alike (and maybe brother from another mother) Chef Michel Symon! For those of you who don’t know, Chef Psilakis owns and operates several other NYC favorites including Kefi and Fishtag. I could not wait for them to open their doors!
I’ve been multiple times since they have opened. There are so many celiac and allergy-friendly options on the menu. I love the Grilled Branzino with Fingerling Potatoes, Cherry Tomatoes and Olives. Getting hungry just talking about it! Also, they have this dip. It’s not on the regular Irvington menu for some strange reason but, it is was when they opened and they’ll make for you on request; spicy red pepper and feta. So good. It comes with pita but they put it on the side, if you ask and they will mark the order with any allergies you have so the kitchen is aware and careful. Also, they have a list of ”simply grilled” options that lend really well to allergy-restricted diets.
It gets better. One night, while there with my sister-in-law for dinner, Chef Psilakis was walking around the dining room touching tables, filling up waters, meeting and greeting, etc. Fun for me as a fan! I told him I was a culinary student, writing a blog about celiac and allergy friendly eating at restaurants. He was gracious, wished me luck and sent us some lovely (gluten and nut free) desserts. Check out MP Taverna in Irvington, NY. Happy Dining!
This post was written by me and is an honest representation of my experiences and opinions. I do not receive fees to advertise anything on my site.
